RECENT WORK

Baseline Assessment of Existing Capacities, Capacity Needs and Entry Points and Development and Delivery of Training in Dispute Resolution and FPIC among the Stakeholders of the Amerindian Land Titling project

Client: UNDP Guyana

Sector: Land Tenure

Carried out an assessment of existing capacities, gaps and entry points for training in DR and FPIC according to the agreed methodology and schedule.

Produced an assessment which included:

Overview of status of DR capacities and knowledge of FPIC among project StakeholdersPossible points and sources of dispute during the demarcation and titling processOverview of capacity needs with regard to dispute resolutionA mapping of possible and strategic entry points for DR and FPIC capacity building and application, including leaders within community structures, women, young people and other key individualsA suggested basis/formula for determining how the 210 participants to the DR and FPIC training workshops could be selected from among the project villages

Develop training content on FPIC for ALT Project stakeholders as identified in Phase 1 and develop a schedule for training workshops:

Develop and discuss an outline of the training content with MoAA and UNDP;Develop FPIC training content for multiple audiences including the ALT Project Team; project stakeholders in Georgetown; and project beneficiaries in Amerindian villages;Consult and coordinate with the Dispute Resolution expert at UNDP on a schedule for the delivery of a joint DR-FPIC 4-day training workshop in various sites as identified in Phase One.

Training content on FPIC which is adaptable and suited to various audiences and a schedule for the delivery of 4-day workshops in the identified sites

Specific Tasks and Deliverables, Phase Three

Working alongside the DR expert at UNDP and serving as the FPIC expert, deliver training workshops as per the agreed schedule and target audiences.

Deliverable 4: A joint report (with the DR expert) on the workshops held and, in particular, documenting the number of training participants by gender; any issues arising regarding FPIC and disputes which may require follow-up; and any agreements among stakeholders on future steps.

Social Due Diligence on Amaila Falls Hydro Project and Preparation Studies

Client: Inter-American Development Bank

Sector: Energy

With expert knowledge of Indigenous Peoples and the Guyana social climate, I conducted social risk due diligence on the proposed Amaila Falls. This consultancy required indepth knowledge of IDB's Environmental and Social Safeguards, as well as the IFC Social Performance Standards.

Responsible for conducting interviews and indepth research on potential impacts on local communities, with further analyses on impacts disaggregated by gender, vulnerability, and proximity to proposed site.

Client: UNDP & Guiana Shield Facility

Sector: International Development & Biodiversity Conservation

The main objective of this consultancy is to carry out a study on main gender issues related to biodiversity conservation in Suriname, in order to generate detailed data to strengthen national level efforts to improve the strategic orientation of GSF activities. At the same time, the research is meant to provide backstopping strategies for the GSF unit.

The purpose of this particular assignment, therefore, is to provide in-depth analysis and insight as to how gender issues are played out within the scheme of biodiversity conservation in Suriname, so as to build upon both national and regional approaches to the GSF’s mandate. At the same time, the rights of the indigenous and maroon peoples, who live within the areas of study, have not had their rights systematically addressed in the context of land rights, biodiversity conservation and lack of public services and attention.

With this lack of attention, comes the lack of recognition of the indigenous and maroon traditional knowledge of how to manage the environment that the government has for so long focused on, without acknowledging those who inhabit it. This is even more evident in the prevailing land tenure laws, which give these marginalised people no leeway to access land.

In a sense, this assessment also acts as a tool to measure future impacts of the current UNDP GSF Integration Agenda vis-à-vis a comparative approach between literature and actual experiences by the key stakeholders. Comparisons between current structures and international and national policies and case studies relating to gender mainstreaming and biodiversity conservation have also been considered.

In addition, checklists addressing the following key considerations:

1) The design of the study;2) The data collected (disaggregated by sex);3) Cross-cutting stocktaking needs;4) Threats to conservation and sustainable use and underlying causes from a gender perspective;5) Priorities from gender perspective; and6) Access and benefit sharing at different levels, will be addressed (the checklists are not limited to the above mentioned categories).

Finally, this assessment is meant to lend to those areas of engagement that need to be further explored, developed and implemented. Therefore, this report offers a plan of action for capacity building for effective engagement and strategies.

Mining for Talent 2015: A review of women on boards in the mining industry 2012-2015

Client: Women in Mining UK & PwC

Sector: Mining

Led Qualitative Research for Final Research on Women on Boards within the Mining sector. Developed and wrote the Business Case for Women on Boards and managed team of Quantitative Researchers for the Financial Review.

Designed and led survey of key women and men from within top 100 mining companies, as well as interviewed male and female board members.

Dertu Integrated Disaster Risk Reduction Strategy

Client: Kenya Red Cross Society

Sector: Disaster Risk Reduction

Contracted to conduct study on Livelihood Interventions within Drought Afflected Areas in the Eastern region of Kenya, bordering Somalia, within nomadic Somali Communities. Carried out field surveys on current livelihood activities and sustainability and effectiveness of disaster preparedness activities in the region.

Presented final report on Disaster Risk Reduction Strategies and Sustainable Community Development Strategies of which the key results have impacted on the success of country programme within specific areas of cooperation (sustainable development). In particular, the key results have played a significant role on the design, operation and programming of disaster risk reduction and preparedness activities, creation of strategic partnerships as well as reaching resource mobilisation targets.